Animal-trap attachment.



N0. 656,5!9. Patented Aug. 2|, I900.

W. H. CROSS.

ANIMAL TRAP ATTACHMENT.

(Application filed Apr. 16, 1900.)

(No Mpdel.)

. F 3 WITNESSES g /NVENTOR Wm/MJQM TATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM HERBERT CROSS, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ANIMAL-TRAP ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 656,519, dated August 21, 1900. Application filed April 16, 1900. Serial No. 13,165. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HERBERT CROSS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Chicago, county of Cook; State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Animal-Trap Attachmen t, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in animal-traps, especially traps intended to catch rats or mice.

The object of my improvements is to have a self-closing door that works inside a case that can be attached to a boX, barrel, or cage.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are indicated by the same letters throughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents the case with a side re moved, showing the several parts when the door is closed. Fig. 2 represents an outline of the case when the door is open. Fig. 3 represents the case when it is to be attached to a box, barrel, or cage, (a cage being shown at one side only.) Figs. 4 and 5 represent different parts in detail as they will hereinafter be described.

The top a and bottom 6 are made of wood. The sides 0 and d are made of sheet metal placed on the edges of top a and bottom I) and fastened securelywith screws 0, as shown in Fig. 3. The plate f is made of sheet metal, in the form shown in Fig. 5, with circular sides bent in shape to form the doors g g, and the plate is hinged and works on pivot h at one end and is bent into a square at the other end to form a holder 2'. The plate fworks freely on the pivot h with a tilting motion from top to bottom, which brings the doors g g into position to open or close the openingsj of egress, which are made in side cl. A re ceptacle it is made of sheet metal and perforated on the side Z opposite entrance m, Fig. 3. A cover at on top and a clasp 0 at the back, Fig. 4, whichis placed over the holder 2', holds the receptacle in place thereon. A lever 19, made of two thicknesses of sheet metal parted at one end, forms a fork for the insertion of a wheel 1 to work freely on a pivot r. The lever 19 works on a pivot s at or near its center, held in an upright bearing t, made of sheet metal fastened to the bottom I; with screws to. A weight 1) is placed over thefree end of lever. 19 and is held in place by a flat bow-spring w, placed in an openingin weight 1), the ends pressing against leverp. The bearingtis high enough to give the lever 12 a tilting motion to correspond with the plate f. The wheel (1 presses lightly against the bottom of plate f and reduces the friction. The weight n is adjustable to regulate the balance of plate f and attachments. The sides 0 and d, put together with top a and bottom I), as heretofore described, form a case with an openingj in side (1 or in both sides. The tilting plate f works freely on pivot h with doors g g, made in connection therewith. The receptacle 7a is attached to holder 2, which is made in connection with plate f, as described. The lever 19, with wh eel q pressing lightly against plate f and with weight '17 adjusted and working in connection with plate f freely inside of the case, forms a self-closing door, as heretofore described.

In Fig. 3 the case is attached to a cage, which forms a complete trap. A wooden bracket can be used to form a means of approach to the casing.

To attach the case to a box or barrel, I first make an opening of suitable size to correspond with opening in side of casing and then fasten securely thereto in the same manner as to a cage. Thus it will be seen that when the case is attached to any of the aforesaid receptacles it forms a complete trap.

The operation of thedevice is as follows: The perforated receptacle 7c is filled with suitable bait and the desired balance of plate f is attained with the adjustable weight 12. The bait forms an attraction for the animal to enter the casing at entrance m, when the plate f settles with its weight and clears the openingj, through which the animal passes, whereupon the leverp lifts the platef, with depending door, thereby closing the opening.

I am aware that prior to my invention animal-traps have been made with a tilting pan and a tilting board. I therefore do not claim such a combination broadly; but

Vhat I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. In an animal-trap, the combination with a casing, of a tilting plate therein carrying a depending door, for the purpose set forth, said plate being pivoted at its forward end and provided at its rear end Witha perforated bait-receptacle, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. An animaltrap comprising a casing, a pivoted tilting plate therein carrying a vdepending door for closing an opening in the side of the casing, an upright mounted in the trap and serving as a support for alever which is pivoted thereon, said lever carrying a Weight at one end and a wheel at its opposite end, IO said tripping-plate being pivoted above said lever and operated thereby, substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM HERBERT CROSS.

WVitnesses:

ERNEST W. LANGKAFEL, EUGENE SCHWAAN. 

